Happy Independence Day!! No, don't worry, I didn't hit my head this week and think it's the 4th of July, I just wanted to wish all of you guys a very happy Mexican Independence Day this week which was on September 15th. And unfortunately, no we couldn't go leave the house to party haha. This week was pretty amazing though and really busy. We really didn't have as much time to work as normal since it was filled with conferences, meetings, and on the evenings of the 15th and 16th we had to go back to the house early. But even though there were a lot of different things this week, it sure was just as great, fast, and amazing as always. But I think this week was so amazing because we definitely had an awesome start. Yes, last week I went to my 3rd favorite place in the world, only behind the temple and the basketball court. One week ago on Monday, I got together with some of my best friends in the mission and we took a trip to... (drum roll please) BUFFALO WILD WINGS! It was definitely a blast and I was sooo happy. We got a bunch of boneless wings out of a group of us, and were daring enough to each order one BLAZIN wing to try. I didn't think it would affect me that much since I've gotten pretty used to and actually enjoy pretty spicy foods now, but wow, it was soo HOT. I don't know if I should admit that we were all crying, but my throat and tongue burned forever just after eating one wing. And I also will admit, it was not fun and pretty blazin coming out too. But we decided at the end of our mission to prove that we've become part Mexican, we have to do the blazin challenge. We will see how I feel about that in 1 year though haha. But yeah, I suppose it wouldn't have been such an amazing week without this fantastic start but we also had an even more special finish with the baptism of Lizeth!!
So even though we didn't have as much time to work this week than normal, we still had a ton of success and I'm so happy. Damian's kids have literally LOVED everything about the church, they already go to all of the activity including mutual and stay all 3 hours every Sunday. It is so amazing and such a miracle to me that the light of the Gospel is already shining brightly in them and that Heavenly Father truly put Damian in our path to bless his family. Damian should be getting more time to rest soon so hopefully next week he can find a little time off work to come with his kids to church. I'm so excited to baptize their whole family and in one year watch them all get sealed in the Holy Temple! We've also been able to continue to find many new investigators to keep teaching and blessing. We will also be privileged and blessed with the opportunity to have another baptism this week for Guadalupe Silva. She is so ready and excited and will be an amazing, strong, member in the church. The other Sunday, as an investigator still, she was already faithfully fasting and paying her tithing and fast offerings. I was just filled with joy and love to her to see her faith and I know that she already loves the church, the Book of Mormon, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And I'm so grateful for the sacred opportunity and trust my Heavenly Father has given me to bring His children to the knowledge of the truth. Finally, like I mentioned before we were blessed with the baptism of a faithful, 11 year old girl, Lizeth. She's just super cute and sweet and reminds me a lot of Brea. But I will never forget the smile on her face or how happy she looked as she entered into the waters of baptism. And I certainly felt the great joy promised to me in Doctrine and Covenants 18, bringing another child of God to the Gospel. I love this Gospel, I love this work, and I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Nothing makes me happier than seeing someone that I helped teach and convert enter into the sacred covenant of baptism. Now we hope we can help her dad and sisters also come to the light of the Gospel and make this saving covenant with Heavenly Father as well. I just have to say that I love Mexico and my mission so much. I love the Spanish language and I especially love this people and this ward right now. I feel so blessed with charity to feel such a deep love for this people and wherever I am called to serve.
This week we also have had the wonderful opportunity to have an area seventy, Elder Valenzuela, come visit out mission. On Thursday we had a special zone conference where he spoke to the whole mission and on Friday we had a mission council with just him, our mission president, their wives, and the zone leaders in the mission. I wish I could share everything I learned and was enlightened with in these days but I will share one thing. As he gave us some examples, I learned how to better use the Spirit in the lessons with our investigators. He asked us lots of questions to really get us to think for ourselves and combined with the Spirit, we were able to receive personal revelation for our own lives, investigators, and wards. I realized that is what we need to do with our investigators more often and Elder Valenzuela asked us to do an evaluation of the commitments with our investigators every time before we begin teaching. On Friday, Elder Torres and I had the opportunity to put this principle in practice. We were with an investigator who really just needs help going to church, reading, and praying so we just focused on 4 verses in the Book of Mormon. The whole time we just asked her question after question so that the Spirit could work in her, and give her personal revelation for what she needed to do in her life. It was really cool instead of just telling her the things she needs to do in her life, she was able to receive personal light and revelation through the Spirit and by the end she promised us to read the Book of Mormon and to make the necessary changes in her work to be able to go to church. After the lesson Elder Torres and I felt so good about that lesson, that we truly followed and trusted the spirit instead of just teaching and spitting out a bunch of information and we definitely taught according to her needs. We are so excited to keep applying this with all of our investigators! Another great thing I learned from Elder Valenzuela is that we need to be specifically reading the Book of Mormon literally every single day of our lives. Sure, the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and the Bible are great blessings in our lives, but the Book of Mormon has a special kind of power. The prophet specifically asked each one of us to read the Book of Mormon every single day, knowing perfectly the challenges of our day. So I made it my goal to still keep studying my deep study of the Doctrine and Covenants, but to study at least 30 minutes of the Book of Mormon everyday. It is just so amazing though, even though I've already read it 3 times in the mission, every time I read it I just fall in love with it and never want to stop. I just feel so strengthened and so happy when I study it and I know that Book can only be of God. I know without a single doubt of my heart, I would bet all my ping pong, mechanical bull riding, and 3 point shooting skills and championships that that book is true. I love it and invite all of you guys to do the same, to follow the prophet and make the Book of Mormon part of your every day life. I promise you blessings, power over temptation, and happiness and hope during the heavy and dark trials and burdens sometimes life brings us. I came to the conclusion I will NEVER EVER regret a single second I have spent dedicated to studying the Book of Mormon. It is a strength we all need every single day. Scripture Power! So I learned so much from Elder Valenzuela this week and was so grateful to be blessed and enlightened by him. I know the Lord truly guides His work through His servants, the general authorities.
So it was just another great week again! I also had the opportunity to do divisions with Elder Kay and it was soo fun! I'm convinced Elder Kay is most like me and my friend from back home that I know in the mission right now. And I have the great announcement that I am still UNDEFEATED in ping pong, although Elder Kay brought the toughest competition I've ever had, but I'm still alive and proud of it! We also made a SUPER good breakfast the morning after divisions with eggs, bacon prepared in pancake mix (it's a secret but it's really good), and some guayaba juice. And of course, like always we had a miracle day in the missionary work putting another baptism date with someone really excited and interested. I definitely love the missionary work. So I've eaten really good this week, starting with BWW, we got some delicious street tacos where we mixed al pastor and suadero meat, we've made some french toast, and one night that we had to stay in we ordered a BOMB domino's pizza with pepperoni, bacon, and cream cheese! So we've been eating pretty awesome lately and I feel great. Also, of course, still getting a good dose of basketball in too. And finally, we cleaned the house super good one evening when we had to stay home so now I can walk around barefoot and it feels like heaven! I miss carpet so much though. I hope you guys are all doing great, love and miss you soo much! Have a great week!
Still undefeated,
Elder Clark
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